Snowflakes and Misunderstandings
Disclaimer: We all know by now that I own nothing of the CSI kind, but I do own and cherish those names that are not familiar.
A/N: This is in response to a challenge given by randomwriting. So enjoy!
Parings: S/C
Warnings: Some language
Rating: T
Chapter one
Tim looked up from his microscope to see Calleigh pushing the door open with a big smile on her face. It was very obvious that she had some good news. He gazed at her with a mix of concern and humor as she came to rest next to him, pushing the reports to the side. Her green eyes sparkled like rare jewels , and Tim found himself getting lost in them, barely hearing what she was saying to him.
" Tim, I said did you hear me?"
"Huh? Um what?"
" I said that Horatio approved our vacation time for the holidays. Starting today at five"
" I didn't think that he would, but that's great," Tim stated plainly.
" Wow, don't go bustin' chairs or anything," Calleigh replied, in her thick accent as her smile dropped. She loved this man to death, but sometimes his sarcastic manner really got on her nerves.
" What? All I said was I didn't think that he would. What's wrong with that?"
" It's not what you said Tim, it's how you said it," Calleigh scolded. The smile had disappeared and now her face was blank.
" I'm sorry?"
"Sometimes, Tim , can't you be happy just for the sake of being happy?"
" Calleigh,..."
" I mean, I wanted to go see my grandma for Christmas..."
" Whoa, wait... I thought that we were in agreement that we were going to Syracuse?"
" No, Tim, I remember plainly that we talked about going to grammy's house. I already booked the flights and everything."
" I think I would've remembered that Cal," Tim said condescending. He didn't mean for it to come out like that, but it just slipped. Sometimes, her perky manner irritated him.
Calleigh gazed at him coldly at the intonation and spat," Well you forgot this, Speed."
Tim raised an eyebrow to the mention of his name that seemed so foreign to him coming from her. Not in all the time that he had been dating Calleigh, had he heard her call him Speed. That paired with the dagger stare that she was giving him, suddenly made him feel cold. He shivered slightly as he took the evidence down from the scope.
" Look, Cal, I'm sorry, but I thought we talked about this. We were going to Syracuse for Christmas and to your grandmother's for New Years. I got the tickets to prove it."
"Cash them in,"Calleigh said as she closed her eyes. She really wanted him to meet her family, and she preferred to do it during Christmas, this Christmas.
" Are you joking?" Tim asked as he set his full attention to her. By her empty gaze , he knew that she wasn't joking, but he wasn't willing to give up a chance to take her home to meet his parents.
" Just to show you, that I'm serious. I'm going to go by myself. Have a great holiday, Tim,"Calleigh said angrily as she turned quickly on her heels and walked to the door. The only sound that was heard was the sound of her boots clicking mercilessly on the floor and the door opening and shutting. He sat there in awe , trying to wrap his head around what just happened. He closed his eyes, and rubbed them hard. He would call her when she cooled down.
Just as he got up to run some samples in the mass spec, he heard the door open behind him. Knowing who it was, he spoke without turning around.
" Yes, she's pissed. No , I have no idea why, and I don't have any."
" You know, that's just freaky, Speed," Delko smirked as he placed his hands on the table.
" You are the most predictable person I know, Delko," Tim said as he turned around.
" Really, and you are the most sarcastic jackass I know, Speed. And I mean that in the best possible way."
" I'm touched Delko, really," Tim replied adding the heavy sarcasm for good measure. He then turned back to the mass spec ,just as it was spitting out a report.
" So what did you do?"
" Why do you automatically think that I did something wrong?" Tim asked irritably. The intrusion was borderline, but now, Delko was treading thin ice.
"Am I talking to Calleigh? No, I'm talking to you. I passed a very pissed Calleigh in the hall, so that naturally tells me that you did something."
" Great deduction there Sherlock. Do you mind if I get back to work now?"
" Speed, what I'm trying to say is don't mess this up. Calleigh's a special woman."
" Duly noted, now, I'm going back to work," Tim said as he turned his back to his friend.
Eric sighed audibly as he turned and opened the door. Talking to Speed when he was in that kind of mood was like talking to a wall. He just hoped that he would get his head out of the ground before he missed the one good thing in his life.
T/C
The rest of the day, Tim saw neither hide nor hair of Calleigh, which surprised him. Usually when she got mad at him, she would avoid him for a couple of hours then she would come around, but by the time the night shift began to amble around, Tim knew that this was no ordinary fight. Some feelings had been hurt.
He sighed as he turned out the lights in his office and closed the door, hearing the faint sounds of a handful of lab techs walking through the corridors ,talking animatedly about the holidays. He listened half heartedly as they spoke of their individual plans, many of them planning to spend time away from the tropical location. Tim smirked to himself and thought about his family in New York. He was sure that Calleigh would've loved to have met his mother so that they could talk about all the embarrassing things that they had experienced with him.
As he came to the desk sergeant, he felt in his pocket for his cell phone. Glancing around, he saw many more people with bright smiles on their faces, as they said good bye to their colleagues, carrying gifts that were given out in small office parties. Despite the season, there was a minimal amount of decorations in the lab, with the exception of the fake Douglas Fir that stood in the corner of the atrium. He realized though, that it wasn't the decorations that made it special, it was the people that you spent it with. The feeling of emptiness filled him and he dialed her number. This was no time to be alone, not Christmas.
He heard the phone as it rung too many times to count, and was about to hang up when he heard her voice, " HI!..." he smiled to himself as he could imagine her on the other end with an amazing smile on her face. He started to say something, until he was cut off, " ... this is Calleigh Duquense. I'm not available right now, but if you leave you name and number, I'll get back with you. Happy Holidays!"
Tim sighed loudly as he spoke into his phone, this was very unlike her, " Cal, it's me. Look, baby, I'm sorry. We can go to your grandmothers, we can go anywhere you want, just call me, okay? I love you."
Flipping his phone down, he started off towards the doors, seeing the Christmas lights through the glass window. He knew right then, that if he couldn't have Calleigh with him this Christmas, it was going to be long and depressing. In the short six months that they had been dating, Tim found himself truly taken with her. There wasn't a moment that he wasn't thinking about her, and the feeling of warmth that she had provided him with , was something that he had never felt before in his entire life. Yes, he had to admit, that Calleigh Duquense had his heart, which is why this Christmas was so special.
Making it to his car, he fought against the stiff cold wind that blew off of the Atlantic, cursing to himself for leaving his jacket in his locker. The weather was remnant of the type that one would experience in the upper southern states, such as North Carolina or Virginia, but not Miami. He could see the locals as they braved the sudden, if not freakish change in their climate. They clung helplessly to their light jackets as they walked, holding their heads down against the cold. He laughed to himself as he unlocked his door and got in, quickly starting his car. He turned the heater up, then turned on the radio, hearing a weather forecast.
" The people of the greater Miami area are going to be in for a wonderful surprise this Christmas. If you can believe, there is a thirty percent chance of snow, yes folks , that's right, snow. The cause of this is the sudden drop of the jet stream way below the anterior of the southern states, bringing with it, that cold arctic Canadian air. Bundle up Floridians, it's going to be a cold Christmas!"
" Get out of here, snow in Miami," Tim said out loud as he revved the engine. " Delko's going to have a cow."
Driving through the streets of Miami, he heard a Christmas carol come on, and he turned it up.
The voice of a legendary singer crooned out of the radio, making Tim think more of Calleigh...
Christmas is the time of year
For being with the ones we love
Sharing so much joy and Cheer
What a wonderful feeling
Watching the ones we love...
Glancing at his watch , he turned his attention to the road again. If he couldn't get in touch with Calleigh, he was going to go ahead to Syracuse. As hard as it was, he rationalized that there was no sense in him staying around Miami alone. He lightly touched the pedal, on his way home. If he wanted to make his flight , he would have to hurry.
T/C
Calleigh pulled a jacket from the closet and placed it on her bed next to the suitcase, feeling her heartbreak. She had left the lab without saying anything to Tim, and she never did that, but he had made her so mad, by implying that she was wrong. There was a very good reason that she wanted to take him to see her grandmother, a very important reason. Sighing, she glanced at her cell , debating on whether to call him. She raised her hand to grab it, but she put it down. He had to know that he had hurt her feelings.
When she had finished packing, she glanced at her watch and carried the suitcase downstairs, placing it by the door. Walking through her quaint condo, she checked the locks on her windows and the patio door, before returning to the front door. Opening it, she felt the cold blast of air as it blew through her long blond hair. Never in all of her time in the south , had she felt air that cold. She gripped the jacket around her tightly as she stepped down the steps, heading for her car. She had to go by his place before going to the airport, and she didn't want to run the risk of running into him. All she wanted was to be around her family and the unconditional love that they provided.
Tbc...